


Ink Stained Flower

by DesertLily



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Enby!Race, Fluff, Jack Katherine and Davey are flatmates, Modern Era, Multi, Nonbinary!Racer, Recreational Drug Use, Tattoo artist!Spot, Tattoos, Trans!Katherine Plumber, edibles, nb!Race
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22593358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertLily/pseuds/DesertLily
Summary: When Race suggested Brooklyn Ink for her first tattoo, Katherine was skeptical. That skepticism started to fade when she met its owner.
Relationships: Davey Jacobs/Racetrack Higgins, Katherine Plumber/Spot Conlon, Racetrack Higgins & Katherine Pulitzer, Racetrack Higgins/Spot Conlon (past), Sarah Jacobs/Jack Kelly
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	Ink Stained Flower

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is 100% due to the fact I want another tattoo.

At twenty one, Katherine Pulitzer had reached many milestones in her life. She could drink legally. She had finished her BA in Journalism. She had a good life. She also had her flatmate’s boyfriend determined to convince her to get a tattoo - declaring it the ultimate ‘Fuck you!’ to her father. It was a sentiment she had very much become fond of as her father struggled to accept the fact she was his daughter.

She had moved in with Jack and Davey at eighteen. Rather than move into the Hell that was student dorms, the prospect of moving into a semi-decent apartment in Manhattan was an extremely appealing alternative. Besides, it was a nice enough apartment' located just above the theatre owned by Jack's adoptive mother, Medda. Whilst her existing friends - particularly Darcy - had been vocal in their attempts to deter her from moving in with strangers, she had just been desperate to get away from 'home'. Thus began the friendship of Katherine Pultizer, Jack Kelly, and Davey Jacobs; three students who had never met and had no idea what they were doing. It was oddly reassuring.

She had met Race a month after moving in and they were the definition of feral. Whether it was how adamant they were to use memes consistently in the wrong context ('Racer, for the last time, yeet does not mean great!') or the fact they had an obsessive need to attempt to adopt every stray cat they found, they gave off a purely chaotic vibe - a juxtaposition to the more calm and rational nature of Davey. Even their college majors didn't add up; Race was studying physics whilst Davey was a literature student. Nothing about them should have worked but Katherine had yet to meet a happier couple - not even Jack and Sarah could top them.

In what they had claimed was an act of trans solidarity, Race had declared Katherine their second best friend (after Albert, of course) within five minutes of meeting her. She had quickly learnt to accept it and that arguing with Racetrack Higgins was entirely futile. So that was how she found herself sprawled on her couch with them whilst obscenely high on edibles. A quiet sound of content left her as Race played with her hair. A small smile was fixed on her face. "I think my father would have a heart attack if he saw me now." She giggled. "High as a kite and draped over my favourite queer," She leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. "It's the exact opposite of what he wanted for me!"

Race crinkled their nose in distaste as they reached for the half-eaten bag of chips left on the coffee table. "That, dear Kitty-cat, is because your dad is the worst." They pat her cheek in a way that would be condescending if it wasn't from Racetrack. "You need to get back at him. Big time." They decided.

Slowly, Katherine pushed herself to sit up. "And I'm guessing you have a fully formed plan then?"

"Not fully formed." They snorted. "But like a solid thirty percent of one." At the look she gave them, Race shrugged. "More like fifteen percent but still, it's a plan." They beamed at her. "So I know you're going to work at a rival paper and all that boring jazz, but you really want to get back at him? Tattoo."

Katherine blinked a few times. "Tattoo?"

"Tattoo." Race nodded. "It's the classic 'fuck you, Dad! I do what I want!' It's perfect, Kitty! Absolutely perfect!" They decided, nodding animatedly as they spoke.

"Sure thing, Racer." She just rolled her eyes with a smile.

A week later, Katherine found herself standing outside 'Brooklyn Ink'. Race had sworn hands down it was the best tattoo parlor in the cit - even if it was run by their ex-boyfriend. She wasn't entirely sure that knowledge was at all comforting. Still, Racer had booked her an appointment before she could protest. WIth the roaring punk music oechoing through the parlor and the rowdy look of everyone inside, Katherine felt more than a little out of place.

With great reluctance, she stepped inside. The light trill of the bell above the door was another to gain her almost instant attention. A man practically smothered in tattoos was quick to approach her. "You Kitty?" The grin on his face proved he already knew the answer to that question. "Spot." He introduced. His smile radiated trouble in such a way she wasn't surprised Race had dated him.

She crinkled her nose. "Katherine." She was quick to correct. "I'm not a fan of Kitty. I've been trying to get Racer to stop using it but -"

"They're too annoying to even consider it." Spot finished for her. "If there's one thing Race is good at, it's being infuriatingly persistent." Katherine managed to let out a quiet laugh at that. "But they mentioned this was your first tattoo? And something about pissing off your dad?" He snorted. "You'd be surprised how many people come in for the same reason. So, any idea what you want done?"

Katherine paused at that. In all her worry about the tattoo, she hadn't actively thought about what she wanted to get done. "Could you surprise me?" At his nod, she continued talking. "Just...something big and loud."

He smirked. "Big and loud? I can definitely do that."

After deciding to get it done on her shoulder, Katherine sat anxiously as she waited for Spot to start. "Relax." He murmured. "It'll hurt but it never hurts nearly as much as you expect it to." With that, he got to work.

Sure enough, it didn't hurt even remotely as much as she had expected. It felt like a more sore and more intense case of pins and needles.It was...tolerable. "You and Race are surprisingly friendly for exes." Katherine couldn't help but comment.

A fond smile crossed Spot's face at that. "We dated as teenagers. But we realised we acted more like best friends than boyfriends. Thus...that's what we became. It's for the best anyways." He hummed as he worked. "Ain't ever seen them as happy as when they're with Davey."

A quiet giggle escaped her at that. "I don't know who's worse with PDA; Race and Davey or Jack and Sarah."

"Oh, Jack and Sarah definitely." His response was almost instant. "They've got no shame when it comes to it. Davey at least has the decency to look embarrassed. Jack and Sarah are by far the worst."

Her giggles turned into a full blown laugh at that. "You're not wrong."

"Stay still. Can’t keep the lines neat if you keep giggling." Despite the words, there was no malice in his voice. Spot just sounded...amused. Then there was a smile on his face that made Katherine's heart skip a beat. She was quick to look away. Instead, her eyes fell on his arms and she found herself unable to look away. "Like what you see?"

Her face went bright red at that. "I don't know what you mean." She insisted, desperately trying to look anywhere but at him.

"Whatever you say, Kathy." He snorted. "How'd Race talk you in to getting inked anyways?"

"We got really high together in my living room." She informed him, completely unashamed by it. "They were convinced it was a great idea."

"Somehow that don't surprise me." Spot offered her a grin. "There's only one thing worse than regular Racer; high Racer. They ain't even that bad when they're drunk." He hummed, glancing up at her briefly. "What about you? What sort of person is Katherine Pulitzer if she enjoys getting high enough to do dumb shit like get a tattoo?"

"Race told you my surname?" A groan escaped her at that. She had been hoping to stay away from the topic of her father but it seemed Race had an inability to keep their mouth shut. "Whoever Racer buys edibles from makes them strong I'm fairly certain I'd be complicit in doing just about anything."

"They figured I'd want bragging rights that Joseph Pulitzer's daughter got her first tattoo at my parlor. But I don't care about shit like that. Not when it comes to paying customers." He shrugged before chuckling. "Yeah, Skittery has a habit of making them a little too strong. God, even I've blacked out after taking them a couple of times before."

Katherine watched him work somewhat curiously. It was kinda cute the way his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. After that, the two talked about what felt like everything and anything all at once. She found him oddly easy to talk to.

Far too soon for Katherine's liking, Spot was pulling back. She couldn't help but be disappointed as their conversation came to an end. "And you're done." He leaned back on his stool. "What do you think?"

Katherine glanced in a nearby river, taking in the tattoo that now adorned her upper shoulder. A flower full of beautiful detail - including vines that seemed to wrap around her shoulder. It was accompanied by a banner underneath with one word written across it; 'proud'. She especially appreciated the pink, blue, and white colour scheme. A wide grin broke out on her face. "It's perfect." She assured him.

A smirk slithered on to Spot's face at that. "Good." He hummed as he led her over to the till. Once he did, he threw a tube at her. "Here."

Katherine caught it with one hand, raising an eyebrow at him. "Nappy rash cream?"

"It'll help it scab over and heal up. Trust me." He assured her with a laugh. "Consider it an apology for Race talking you in to this. I should have asked before, but is price an issue?"

Katherine shook her head as she moved to take a credit card out of her wallet before inserting it in the chip and pin. "Don't worry. It's a surprise present from my father." The grin on her face suggested it was definitely more of a surprise on her father's part than it was hers.

"I can see why Race likes you." Before handing her the receipt, Spot scribbled something on to it. "If you're ever interested in another tattoo or maybe some drinks sometime, here's my number." He handed it over to her without even an ounce of shame.

A quiet laugh escaped her. "I might have to take you up on that offer. Drinks sound great."

"Good."

Katherine had a feeling Racetrack had sent her there with ulterior motives in mind.

**Author's Note:**

> I have never been high before, can you tell?? Comments are always appreciated!! Or hmu @ desert-lily on tumblr! Also let me know if I should make a small series of one shits in this AU?? Because I really like the idea of Katherine, Jack, and Davey as flatmates.


End file.
